Sarasate: catalyst of musical life in Pamplona

Abstract

By the second half of the XIX century, Pamplona had become a city which fully threw itself into musical activities in all their variety. The cultural renaissance enjoyed, the fruit of different performances given, led to the city’s greatest moment of musical glory, both in terms of the musicians which it produced and the popularity of music as such. The figure of Pablo Sarasate is essential when it comes to understanding the mechanisms responsible for this change, while the fledgling musical societies (Orfeón Pamplonés and Orquesta Santa Cecilia) are also key. Governmental support favoured and helped strengthen this new musical awareness, the Municipal Music Academy providing a good example of its role.